Bird Scene - Spring 2023

BIRDISSUE 58: SPRING 2023
SCENE
NYASA
LOVEBIRDS
IN THE KAZA
CONSERVATION
AREA DR. DAVID WAUGH
BREEDING BLUE
EARED GLOSSY
STARLINGS
RAY HOLLAND
MICE ROOFS
AND BIRD ROOM
CONSTRUCTION
ROSEMARY LOW
THE GLOSTER
CANARY
CHARLIE CLARKE
NATIONAL
EXHIBITION
LES RANCE
THE FREE MAGAZINE FOR HOBBYIST BREEDERS AND CONSERVATIONISTS | SUMMER EDITION OUT 1ST JUNE 2023

AS THINGS ARE KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH OTHER
BIRD KEEPERS, SEEING OTHERS’ BREEDING RESULTS
AND GENERALLY HAVING A CATCH-UP IS
JUST ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE.
WHY NOT TRY THE PSUK
FACEBOOK PAGE’S ‘COMMUNITY’ AREA?
POST SOME PICTURES, ASK FOR ADVICE, SHOW OFF
YOUR SUCCESSES (AND FAILURES), LET PEOPLE KNOW
WHAT YOU’RE KEEPING AND HOW THEY ARE GETTING ON.
GIVE IT A TRY!’

CONTENTS
06
14
42 28
06
14
28
36
42
Nyasa Lovebirds in the
Kaza Conservation Area
Dr. David Waugh
Breeding Blue Eared
Glossy Starlings
Ray Holland
Mice Roofs and Bird
Room Construction
Rosemary Low
National
Exhibition
Les Rance
The Gloster
Canary
Charlie Clarke
DONATE TO OUR
CONSERVATION
FUND…
GO TO: WWW.THEPARROTSOCIETYUK.ORG
36
BIRD SCENE: Issue 58: Spring 2023
BIRD SCENE is run by The Parrot Society UK, Audley House, Northbridge Road, Berkhamsted HP4 1EH, England.
FOR SALES AND EDITORIAL ENQUIRES Telephone or Fax: 01442 872245
Website: www.theparrotsocietyuk.org / E-Mail: les.rance@theparrotsocietyuk.org
The views expressed by contributors to this magazine are not those of The Parrot Society UK unless otherwise explicitly stated

INTRODUCTION
In the introduction
to the Spring
2022 issue of
Bird Scene I wrote
‘As we are now very
much in the winter
period, we are
having to contend
with some very
stormy weather, with
three named storms
hitting the UK in
five days, these are
coming across the
Atlantic powered by
very strong winds in
the jet stream. The
first was Dudley, the
second and most
damaging certainly in
my area was Eunice
and then Franklin.
Fortunately, I have
glass fibre sheeting
on my aviaries which
is much stronger
than plastic sheeting
that does tend to
harden over a few
years and then
BY THE EDITOR
LES RANCE
WWW.THEPARROTSOCIETYUK.ORG
LES.RANCE@THEPARROTSOCIETYUK.ORG
becomes brittle at which point it tends
to get damaged by high winds.’ Thank
goodness, those strong jet stream
currents do not appear anywhere near
as strong as in February 2022. This
winter does seem a little colder than
last year and in addition we are having
to be very careful with the amount
of electricity that we use due to the
massive increase in costs compared to
2022. All I can say is ‘roll on spring’ and
hope that it is a warm spring, which
encourages our birds to start to breed.
In this issue, we have an article
about Nyasa Lovebirds in the
KAZA conservation area. An item
entitled Mice, Roofs and Bird Room
Construction by Rosemary Low plus an
article on Budgerigars for Beginners
and a very good selection of images
taken by our Designer Neil Randle
at the 2022 National Exhibition. So
really quite a lot for you to read and
hopefully pick up some pointers that
may well assist you with whatever
species of birds you currently maintain.
This is now the fifty-eight edition of
Bird Scene, how quickly eleven and
a half years can pass when you are
04 BIRD SCENE

working on a project – the first FREE
on-line bird magazine produced in the
UK. At 48 pages, this is quite a big
read! Every time we post the Parrot
Society monthly magazine, I cringe at
the cost. Postal costs appear to have
increased far faster than inflation and
if The Royal Mail are not careful they
will find that their income will reduce
even further as people and businesses
send less and less by conventional
means. A price increase to 95p for a
First Class letter became effective on
4th April 2022. Whatever happened
to the Penny Black, if my maths are
correct we are now being charged 228
times the cost when the first letters
were delivered! With CPI, inflation now
running around 10.1%, costs continue
to rise. In fact, food inflation is at
February 2023 17%, where will it all
end. These costs obviously affect bird
clubs when the show schedules have to
be posted to potential exhibitors and
equally it affects the exhibitors when
they return their entries. In addition,
how much longer will bird clubs be able
to afford to post magazines to their
members? This must be a great worry
to many club officials. Fortunately, with
an e-magazine we do not have this
problem, or for that matter the cost of
colour printing. Because of increases to
the costs of both postage and printing, I
am pleased that we decided to produce
Bird Scene as a FREE e-magazine. We
have learnt a great deal over the past
nearly twelve years about this way of
communicating with bird enthusiasts
and I am sure that this knowledge will
become more and more valuable as we
see further increases in costs to paper
magazines. We are always happy to
receive articles about the species that
are being exhibited at The National
and are very pleased to give publicity
to the club supplying the information.
Regular readers will know that Bird
Scene has been produced to publicise
The National Exhibition held each
year (Covid-19 restrictions excepted)
at our October Sale Day/Show at
Stafford County Showground. This
publication is also used to promote our
Conservation efforts for threatened
parrots in the wild. An archive of earlier
editions of Bird Scene can be found on
the Home Page of our website www.
theparrotsocietyuk.org so if you would
like to see earlier versions please do
look at the Bird Scene archive.
14
BIRD SCENE 05

1
1. Nyasa Lovebird
2. Map of the geographical distribution
of the Nyasa Lovebird.
…
the Kavango
Zambezi
Transfrontier
Conservation Area
(KAZA), encompassing
five soutahern African
countries: Angola,
Botswana, Namibia,
Zambia and
Zimbabwe.
06 BIRD SCENE

DR DAVID WAUGH
CORRESPONDENT, LORO
PARQUE FUNDACIÓN
2
FEATURE
NYASA
LOVEBIRDS
IN THE
KAZA
CONSERVATION
AREA
In the southern part of Africa there is a huge (519,000 km 2 ) area
dedicated since 2011 to help bolster harmony between humans
and wildlife, with a particular focus on nature tourism. This is
known as the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area
(KAZA), encompassing five soutahern African countries: Angola,
Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Within this area, the Loro
Parque Fundación supports projects for the conservation of lions,
BIRD SCENE 07

3
3. Cathedral mopane forest in south Zambia.
4. A camera trap captures the moment a
Nyasa Lovebird defends its nest against a
Smith’s Bush Squirrel (Paraxerus cepapi).
Researchers
have found that the
presence of Nyasa
Lovebirds is positively
associated with the size of
mopane trees, and submit
that large, so-called
‘cathedral’ mopane trees
are indispensable for
the species…
their prey species and the mosaic
of habitats that sustain them. These
habitats contain a myriad of other
plant and animal species which stand
to benefit from the conservation
efforts, and these include five native
species of parrots. Three are of the
genus Poicephalus: Meyer’s Parrot (P.
meyeri), the Brown-necked Parrot (P.
fuscicollis suahelicus) and the Brownheaded
Parrot (P. cryptoxanthus),
and two of the genus Agapornis, the
threatened Black-cheeked Lovebird
(A. nigrigenis), and lastly the Nyasa or
Lilian’s Lovebird (A. lilianae).
08 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
Popular in aviculture, until recently
the Nyasa Lovebird was considered
common but is now classified in the
IUCN (International Union for the
Conservation of Nature) Red List
as ‘Near Threatened’ in response
to the range of threats the wild
population faces. The species
naturally occurs in south-eastern
Africa, with approximately 60%
of the geographical distribution
located within the KAZA boundaries
in Zambia and Zimbabwe, although
the proportion in KAZA of the total
population (estimate of less than
20,000 individuals) might not be
the same. The key habitat for the
Nyasa Lovebird is mopane woodland
(Colophospermum mopane),
especially during the breeding
season, but unsustainable harvesting
of mopane trees for charcoal
production and timber is having a
negative effect.
4
Popular in
aviculture, until
recently the Nyasa
Lovebird was considered
common but is now
classified in the IUCN Red
List as ‘Near Threatened’
in response to the range
of threats the wild
population faces.
Researchers have found that the
presence of Nyasa Lovebirds is
positively associated with the
size (height and girth) of mopane
trees, and submit that large, socalled
‘cathedral’ mopane trees
are indispensable for the species
(Mzumara et al., 2019), being its
target nesting site. Nyasa Lovebirds
appear to have gone from sites of
previous occurrence to the west of
the Lower Zambezi National Park,
and where ‘cathedral’
mopane woodland no
longer occurs. With the
creation of Lake Kariba,
of a large section of
the Zambezi valley was
flooded. Thus it is clear
that conservation efforts
within KAZA, and also
outside of it, should focus
on the protection of sites
BIRD SCENE 09

containing large mopane trees, but
other threats also exist which also
need to be tackled. Information on the
biology of wild Nyasa Lovebirds will
inform some of the actions necessary.
For example, Nyasa Lovebirds
sometimes feed on maize, sorghum
and millet seeds, bringing them into
conflict with the small-scale farmers
affected. Recent research provides
information on the wild diet of the
lovebirds in terms of what they eat, in
what season, and where (Mzumara et
al., 2018). Observations of lovebirds
feeding on different plant categories
Plant
part
Seeds Fruit Unripe
fruit
Flowers Buds Leaves All
Percent 52.4 7.1 14.3 6.0 7.1 13.1 100
5
6
10 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
7
5. Hyparrhenia seeds feature in the diet of
A. lilianae.
6. Nyasa Lovebird.
7. A group of Nyasa Lovebirds feeding on the
ground.
show that they are mostly feeding in
trees (61.6%), less amongst grasses
(23.1%), even less in agricultural crops
(11.5%) and few in herbs (3.8%). They
were observed to eat 30 different
plant species. As regards the distinct
parts of plants that were observed to
be eaten, adding up the months of the
year and the different plant species
reveals that, as a proportion, seeds
constitute more than half.
Coinciding with the breeding season
(February to May), consumption of
different plant parts is more diverse
during the wet season (December to
June), although grass seeds were the
main food source in these months.
Nutritional analysis of preferred
foods shows that grass seeds have
a relatively high protein and energy
content. In the wet season the
lovebirds prefer to forage in grassy
wetland, but in the dry season they
mainly forage in grasslands with tree
cover. Based on this information,
deliberate early season (before May–
BIRD SCENE 11

8
9
June) burning of grasslands is not
recommended because it reduces
grass seed availability.
Other reported threats are predation
by invasive species and unintentional
mortality from pools poisoned by
hunters to catch larger birds. There
is also concern that trapping for local
sale in Zimbabwe and Zambia, as
well as the international cage-bird
trade is unsustainable. In 2018/2019
it was discovered in nearby South
Africa that, of 169 species of cagebirds
available for sale, 147 species
were non-native, and that the Nyasa
Lovebird was the 13th most traded
species. Conservation strengthening
in KAZA is intended to help create a
better future for the Nyasa Lovebird.
12 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
10
DONATE TO OUR
CONSERVATION
FUND…
8. Flock of Nyasa Lovebirds in tree-top.
9. Nyasa Lovebirds drinking at a water source.
10. Nyasa Lovebirds are successfully kept under
human care.
GO TO:
WWW.THEPARROTSOCIETYUK.ORG
References
Mzumara, T. I., Martin, R. O., Tripathi, H., Phiri, C., &
Amar, A. (2019). Distribution of a habitat specialist:
Mopane woodland structure determines occurrence
of Near Threatened Lilian’s Lovebird Agapornis lilianae.
Bird Conservation International, 29(3), 413-422.
Mzumara, T. I., Perrin, M. R., & Downs, C. T. (2018).
Feeding ecology of Lilian’s Lovebird Agapornis lilianae
in Liwonde National Park, Malawi. Ostrich, 89(3), 233-239.
BIRD SCENE 13

RAY HOLLAND
BREEDING
BLUE
EARED
GLOSSY
STARLINGS
At one of the Stafford shows I managed to buy five Glossy
Starlings. One was a Purple Glossy which turned out to be
a cock and the rest Blue-eared Glossy Starlings, some of
which appeared to be slightly larger and the others smaller with a
greener sheen.
14 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
BIRD SCENE 15

They were all housed together for
some months in a fairly large aviary
with Sumatran Laughing Thrushes.
The Laughing Thrushes were quite
well behaved with the Starlings,
but the latter would often squabble
amongst themselves and pick on
various individuals in turn. It soon
became apparent that I had a
dominant pair, the cock being slightly
larger than the hen. The two of them
would bow and scrape to each other
making little squeaks and for the most
part being very friendly, although
on occasions even these two would
squabble.
16 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
I feed them
on standard
softbill food, pellets
of various types and
flavours, chopped fruit,
sweetcorn, wax moth larvae
and mealworms. For some
reason they do not appear
to be very interested
in crickets which
surprised me.
in at a slight angle and was the one
they chose to lay their first clutch
of three eggs in, in late May. Dried
grasses, evergreen leaves, moss and
feathers were used to build the nest.
I feed them on standard softbill food,
pellets of various types and flavours,
chopped fruit, sweetcorn, wax moth
larvae and mealworms. For some
reason they do not appear to be very
interested in crickets which surprised
me. All three eggs hatched, but how
I was fairly confident I had a breeding
pair, so gave them an aviary to
themselves approximately 16ft x 5ft
covered except for the end which is
open to the elements and faces east.
Two nest boxes were provided one
open fronted and the other a Parakeet
type with bob hole – this one was put
BIRD SCENE 17

long incubation had taken I could not
be certain since the young were very
quiet in the nest, but you knew something
was happening by the constant
coming and going of the parents.
Upon inspection I found three very
small chicks so increased the feed to
three or four hour intervals for the first
week using mini mealworms to start
with and later added wax moth larvae.
After about ten days the parents
were observed picking up nesting
material, particularly feathers and
from previous experience this was
an ominous sign of something going
wrong, the parents wanting to nest
again!!
All three eggs
hatched, but how long
incubation had taken I
could not be certain since the
young were very quiet in the
nest, but you knew something
was happening by the
constant coming and
going of the parents.
18 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
After
about ten
days the parents
were observed picking up
nesting material, particularly
feathers and from previous
experience this was an
ominous sign of something
going wrong, the parents
wanting to nest
again!!
BIRD SCENE 19

I checked the box and could find only
one healthy youngster, about ten days
old, the others had just disappeared.
They may have been covered by the
fresh nesting material or just thrown
out of the nest box. At this time we
were experiencing an unusually
prolonged spell of really hot weather
and this, together with a plentiful
supply of live food may have been
the spur to produce again, before
finishing the first clutch.
I decided to be positive and took
the remaining youngster away for
hand rearing which we successfully
achieved using a hospital cage with
low heat, the youngster being placed
I decided to be
positive and took the
remaining youngster
away for hand rearing
which we successfully
achieved using a
hospital cage with
low heat…
in a plastic tub with paper towels on
the bottom to give grip and part cloth
covering to replicate the darkness
of nest box conditions. Feeding by
syringe and tweezers every 3-4 hours
with the last feed about 10.00pm
and starting again at 6.00am – not a
particularly good regime for those
20 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
who still have to work I might add.
All went well, the youngster got used
to the routine after the first 2 or 3
reluctant efforts and was always very
excited at the sight of a wax worm. In
addition mini mealworms and Orlux
hand mix were used without difficulty
and after about another two weeks
the bird was fully feathered and trying
to fly.
In the meantime the parents went
down again, laying three eggs; the
weather this time was getting back
to something more like a normal
British summer. In due course two
eggs hatched and the parents fed the
young very well, almost competing to
feed the most food. I would say that
the hen was the best, taking bunches
of mealworms at one go – the cock
usually one at a time.
After what seemed to be an age the
first youngster appeared at the bobhole,
poking its head out to be fed and
at about four weeks both fledged. I
had expected them to appear sooner;
they were a duller version of the
parents and could fly well at this
early stage. The young are still with
their parents in December and will
have to be separated well before the
next breeding season starts in the
Spring.
The two parent reared birds are
surprisingly confident and tame, they
come out into the service passage
way every day for exercise and to
pinch as much live food as they can
get from my food trolley. They appear
fearless and fly at great speed about
and around me – typical Starlings, real
clowns and very entertaining. Strangely
enough the hand reared one from the
first round is quite the opposite, not a
bit tame but just as hungry.
Due to enforced inactivity (knee
op) I was very late in getting all my
birds’ flights ready for the breeding
season. The Glossy’s nest box was
not put in until early May and not as
high up as usual, normally near the
roof at an angle some 7’ up. It did
not make any difference, they began
adding to the nesting material and
after about 14 days I knew the Hen
After what
seemed to be an
age the first youngster
appeared at the bob-hole,
poking its head out to be
fed and at about four
weeks both
fledged.
BIRD SCENE 21

was laying green/blue eggs, this time
three. In the past, when obviously
younger, the pair would have four
or even five eggs and rear them all.
However as they age three seems
to be the norm. After about 14 days
the eggs hatch and both parents will
feed the young with mini-mealworms,
waxworms and crickets which seem
to be the mainstay for the fledglings.
The general diet for adults and their
youngsters is softbill food, Bevo,
Beaphar, Bogena, Softbill Pellets both
fruit type and insect varieties. They
also like plenty of fresh fruit, almost
any is acceptable – they are not fussy
feeders.
Not too long after the youngsters
fledged the parents started to take
in new nesting material and restart
the breeding cycle again, whilst
continuing to feed the first round
youngsters.
22 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
Not so clear thinking on my part
and lack of aviary space caused the
second round to fail when, given
better management, they should have
survived. The first round youngsters
remained in the flight (my mistake!).
The nest box should have been
replaced or, at least thoroughly
cleaned out, before signs of nesting
again began (mistake).
The three birds
are still in the
flight together – the
only difference being
the black eyes as
opposed to the bright
creamy yellow of the
parents.
I did refresh the nest box when the
second round young were about
7 days old but it was a messy job.
Although two of the young grew and
feathered well and even fledged, they
were not healthy and nor did they
leave the nest box when they should
have.
I believe a combination of the
aforementioned and the nest box
being slightly too small, i.e. 7½“ x 7½“
Not too long after
the youngsters fledged
the parents started
to take in new nesting
material and restart the
breeding cycle again,
whilst continuing to
feed the first round
youngsters.
x 13” and not at a great enough angle
were also a contributory factor (mistake).
So after what should have been six
youngsters only the first round
survived to be good healthy birds.
Better news from another of my three
pairs of Blue Eared Glossys. I retained
some youngsters from breeding
four years ago and this is the first
time they have attempted to breed.
Strangely only one egg but this was
successfully hatched and reared. This
youngster being an ‘only child’ so to
speak is a really strong and healthy
individual. So after all these years I
am pleased with the result. The three
birds are still in the flight together –
the only difference being the black
eyes as opposed to the bright creamy
yellow of the parents. Adult eye colour
of these birds does vary slightly, some
being more orange yellow.
BIRD SCENE 23

One rather endearing feature of the
one youngster family is that they can
all catch with aplomb. At feeding time
they come out of their flight down the
corridor to where I prepare the food
and wait on the step. They are rather
like a cordon of England cricketers in
the slips – seeing who can jump higher
than the next to catch the thrown
mealworms. This little exercise goes
on for some minutes and seems to be
enjoyed by everyone, most of all me.
DONATE TO OUR
CONSERVATION
FUND…
GO TO:
WWW.THEPARROTSOCIETYUK.ORG
One final point on feeding these birds,
it seems I may be in the minority
here but I continue feeding live
food through the winter, although I
do try to reduce the amount. I find
the insects are a good carrier for
the various supplements I give to
my birds throughout the year, such
as Insectivorous Feast and Daily
Essentials 3 for my frugivorius birds
like Barbets and Bulbuls.
Most of my birds are through the
moult now and look in excellent
condition. I can thoroughly
recommend them, they are real
characters, rewarding and great fun
to keep. I am keeping two flights
empty in the optimistic hope I will
have a successful breeding season
with somewhere safe to put all those
youngsters. I wish!
24 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
BIRD SCENE 25

New revised edition from Rosemary Low
PYRRHURA
PARAKEETS:
EXTENSIVELY
REVISED!
90 full colour photos
(55 new images).
Most maps redrawn
and all in colour.
The text has been
updated, especially
conservation of
individual species. 254 pages. Soft cover.
£25.95 plus £3.90 UK postage (second class)
Signed and dedicated on request
Order: rosemaryhlow@gmail.com
Please use PayPal
or email or phone for cheque payment details
Tel: 01623 846430 • www.rosemarylow.co.uk
For orders in Europe please contact ptinon@kpnmail.nl

PET PARROT GATHERING:
8TH JULY
SUMMER SHOW:
9TH JULY
NATIONAL EXHIBITION:
1ST OCTOBER
‘HELP BIRD KEEPERS SHOW’:
3RD DECEMBER
SHOW DATES AT
STAFFORD IN
2023
THIS IS JUST A NOTIFICATION OF DATES
PARROT
SOCIETY
PLEASE DO NOT BOOK UNTIL YOU SEE
FULL DETAILS IN THE MAGAZINE
All our shows are held at Staffordshire County
Showground, Weston Road, Stafford ST18 0BD.
ALL MEMBERSHIPS CAN BUY
TWO EARLY ENTRY WRIST
BANDS FOR OUR SHOWS
Only available in advance

MICE
ROOFS AND BIRD
ROSEMARY LOW
ROOM CONSTRUCTION
To protect
food and water
from vermin, weather
and the droppings of
wild birds (increasing
the likelihood of disease
being transmitted), it is
essential to have an
indoor section…
Mice and rats are extremely resourceful creatures. If there is
a way to get into our aviaries and bird rooms, they will find
it. This means that waging war on rodents must commence
literally before the foundations of the building are laid. In fact it should
start with the planning. If you decide to build a wooden bird room
or perhaps convert a double garage which is partly constructed
from wood, it will be almost impossible to exclude vermin. Gnawing
28 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
BIRD SCENE 29

The
glasswool insulating
material was deemed
perfect for mouse nestmaking.
The only solution
was to rip out the inner wall,
including the roof lining,
and leave the building
permanently without
lining.
through wood is so easy for mice.
Once they enter it will be extremely
difficult to exclude them. If you
must use timber, take the following
precautions:
1. Stand the building on a concrete
base.
2. Be aware that insulating the bird
room is asking for trouble. Of
course it helps to prevent heat
loss but it is better to spend a little
more on heating the room (if heat
is necessary) than living with mice
breeding in the cavities between
the two walls. I know because this
happened to me. After two micefree
years, the mice moved in. The
glasswool insulating material was
deemed perfect for mouse nestmaking.
The only solution was to
rip out the inner wall, including the
roof lining, and leave the building
permanently without lining. The
mice moved out. But that was
not the end of the problem. They
moved into the other building
which was lined, and took up
residence in the roof. A nightmare
scenario! The patter of feet which
I was hearing daily were those of
mice. There was no alternative but
to take the roof off and construct
an entirely new one. That was four
30 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
years ago and my bird room is
now mouse-free. One advantage
was that with the new roof I did
away with the skylight windows.
Its inclusion had been a mistake
because it caused condensation to
drip from the roof to the floor.
3. If you have a wooden building, nail
tin plate or aluminium, inside and
out, to the height of 1ft (31cm). This
precaution will be useless if there
are any holes through which mice
can enter. Check the point where
electricity cables leave the building,
cover ventilator and extractor
outlets with small mesh and ensure
that all doors and windows are
tight-fitting. Also remember that if
you have pop-holes to allow your
birds access to outdoor flights,
mice will enter if they have access to
the flights. Welded mesh should be
buried around the perimeter of the
flights to prevent this.
If you have a
wooden building,
nail tin plate or
aluminium, inside
and out, to the
height of 1ft
(31cm)
For preference, don’t build a bird
room from wood. Brick is much
more expensive but if you can afford
it, brick or breeze blocks are ideal
materials. You might also consider
obtaining, second-hand, the kind
of prefabricated cabins which are
used on building sites, for example.
As long as there is no wood in their
construction!
Precautions
If you have outdoor aviaries and you
feed your birds in the flight part, mice
will be almost impossible to eliminate.
You might also attract rats. To
protect food and water from vermin,
weather and the droppings of wild
birds (increasing the
likelihood of disease
being transmitted), it
is essential to have
an indoor section,
either an enclosed
shelter or a
cage inside a
building, where
the birds are
fed. This
increases
the length
of time
BIRD SCENE 31

it will take mice to find a food supply,
although it is not guaranteed to keep
them out if wood is used to construct
shelter or building.
There are other precautions that
you can take to discourage mice
from finding your garden attractive.
If you feed the wild birds, clear up
any uneaten food before nightfall. If
you keep rabbits or other pets that
have a dry food, remove any dry food
at night. Finally, do not discourage
your neighbour’s cat from visiting
your garden at nightfall. Generally
speaking, once a cat has discovered
it cannot reach the birds in your
Generally
speaking, once a
cat has discovered it
cannot reach the birds in
your aviaries, it will lose
interest in them - but if
there are mice about it
will return night after
night.
aviaries, it will lose interest in them -
but if there are mice about it will return
night after night. I would strongly
advise that when planning your
aviaries, buy enough welded mesh
to double wire all surfaces that are
accessible to cats and owls. It might
32 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
seem like an expensive exercise but
this will prevent deaths from injuries
by night marauders.
Also, with the increase in
Sparrowhawks in gardens, it will
prevent these pests from attacking
your birds. Another tip is to grow
climbers such as passionflower,
honeysuckle and clematis over
the top and sides of the flights.
Sparrowhawks are now so numerous,
even in city gardens, that every step
should be taken to prevent them
diving on the aviaries. Even if they
cannot reach the birds, the shock can
cause birds to desert eggs or young.
Eliminating mice
The trap is the most environmentally
friendly form of elimination. But does
it work? At the risk of displeasing
mouse trap manufacturers, I have
to say that I have never caught
a single mouse in the metal traps
that catch mice alive. I am told that
wooden ones are more successful.
Obviously traps can be used only in
bird rooms where there are no birds
loose. They can be used in aviaries
only if they can be placed inside a
box and if no small birds are present
which could enter the box.
The traditional type of spring trap,
usually baited with cheese, can be
successful - assuming you are not
squeamish about removing victims.
Note also that mice absolutely love
chocolate and this can be the best
bait of all. Be warned that some
very cheap wooden spring traps
are almost impossible to set. I once
tried a plastic spring-trap which was
very easy to set. I soon found it had
a major disadvantage. The spring
was not strong enough. The mice
would be trapped but not killed. I
found mice trapped by the tail or
the foot and being too
soft-hearted to see
any animal suffer,
I would release
these victims
alive.
BIRD SCENE 33

The
obvious
alternative to traps
is poison. I greatly
dislike the use of poison
since it can get into
the food chain and
because death is
not swift.
The newspapers often feature
advertisements for ultrasonic mouse
deterrents. I have not tried them since
I have been assured by two people
who have that they are not effective.
Members’ experiences on this
method would be welcome.
The obvious alternative to traps is
poison. I greatly dislike the use of
poison since it can get into the food
chain and because death is not swift.
Presumably it could also poison a cat
if a cat caught a mouse which had
eaten poison. I look on poison as a
last resort. However, to deal with rats
and, in some situations, with mice,
there seems to be no alternative.
The mouse poison which you can
buy in a hardware store is unlikely
to be effective over the long term,
since mice will eventually become
immune to it. It is therefore advisable
to contact the vermin control
department of the local council. On
one occasion I saw a rat in my garden
and a very helpful man from the
Council arrived with some blocks of
poison placed inside small cardboard
cartons. There is no charge for this
34 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
service. If you as much as catch
a glimpse of a rat, call the council
immediately. Do not leave nest-boxes
in position in outdoor aviaries all year
unless you close the entrance by
nailing wood over it. If a rat enters the
aviary and finds a bird roosting inside,
it will kill it and you are likely to find a
headless victim.
If you place mouse poison in your bird
room, don’t think all you have to do is
to put it in a suitable place and wait
for the mouse population to crash.
Now your work begins. On the first
and succeeding nights of poison use
in a bird room, sweep the floor, clean
the cage trays, etc, and remove every
food container. If they can feed on
seed, they will not take the poison.
Mice are so resourceful that they
can learn to feed during the day but
offering them only poison at night will
usually solve the problem.
BIRD SCENE 35

LES RANCE
THE
NATIONAL
EXHIBITION
Long-term bird enthusiasts
will remember The National
Exhibitions held at The
Birmingham NEC and run by Cage &
Aviary Birds prior to 2003, yes twenty
years ago! The Parrot Society decided
in 2007 that we would try to rebuild
the event at Stafford where we hold
our successful hobbyist breeder
Bird Sale event in October. It was an
excellent decision and the event has
36 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
The date
of the next
National Exhibition
is on Sunday
1st October
2023.
BIRD SCENE 37

gone from strength to strength despite
Covid-19, which had a large impact on
many events and general living.
In 2022 The UK Gouldian Finch club
and the English Cinnamon Canary club
joined us and I understand that they both
experienced a good day. As the 2020
National Exhibition had to be cancelled
due to Coronavirus, I was pleased that
we managed to run a National Exhibition
this October. Now that we can start
holding shows again at Stafford, please
remember that The National Exhibition
for the Exhibition of Show birds is held
in the Sandylands Centre and the
Argyle Centre. We use these same Centres
for our Help Bird Keepers Shows. The
date of the next National Exhibition is
on Sunday 1st October 2023.
38 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
A large number of hobbyist-bred stock
always finds new homes from the
buyers who come in large numbers to
our events. The National Exhibition
is the leading and most popular bird
show held in this country for hobbyist
bird breeders, not just because of the
sales tables but also the Exhibition that
is held in the Argyle and Sandylands
Centres. There is something for
everyone available from the 60+
traders who so generously support
this event, especially from our sponsor
Johnston & Jeff Ltd the leading UK
seed supplier.
This year the exhibition in the Argyle
and Sandylands Centres was again
organised with the assistance of the 18
clubs that support this event and it
The
National Exhibition
is the leading and most
popular bird show held in
this country for hobbyist
bird breeders, not just
because of the sales tables
but also the Exhibition that
is held in the Argyle
and Sandylands
Centres.
BIRD SCENE 39

continues to receive plenty of
entries, may this be the case for
many years to come. These
enthusiasts work so hard to
construct the staging from mid-day
on the Saturday and take in many
entries in the late afternoon and
Saturday evening. This judged event
will be as popular as ever in the
future, with many high-class birds
on view. At this year’s event a crystal
glass, rose bowl has been donated by
Johnston & Jeff for best bird in Show
and by The Parrot Society for the best
junior exhibit, their generous donations
for these valuable awards is always
very much appreciated. Cage and
Aviary Birds give the Exhibition a
special supplement in their publication
so that all their readers are aware of
which clubs to contact to enter their
exhibition stock into the Show.

FEATURE
Again, Neil Randle our magazine
designer took over a 1,000 images on
the day so that we have plenty of
images for the next twelve months.
Please do enjoy the pictures on the
following pages. In 2023, the Show will
be held on Sunday 1st October and will
follow similar lines to the 2022 event
but more use will be made of the
Prestwood Centre to house the stands
of such supporters as The Australian Finch
Society, The Bengalese Fanciers
Association, and The Waxbill Finch
Society. Within the two exhibition halls,
there is always a great buzz of chatter
and excitement, it is always a pleasure
just to stand there and absorb the
environment and listen to people
enjoying themselves and promoting their
hobby.
…more use
will be made of the
Prestwood Centre to
house the stands of
such supporters as The
Australian Finch Society,
The Bengalese Fanciers
Association, and The
Waxbill Finch
Society.
DONATE TO OUR
CONSERVATION
FUND…
GO TO:
WWW.THEPARROTSOCIETYUK.ORG
BIRD SCENE 41

THE
GLOSTER
CANARY
CHARLIE CLARKE
The Gloster fancy as we know it today is the result of continual
work of many fanciers who have over the years continued to
build on the original ideas of the early fanciers.
42 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
The
Gloster Fancy
continues to thrive
today, we have many
top Specialist Societies
all putting on very good
shows the standard of
the Gloster gets
better by
the year
BIRD SCENE 43

As the quantity
of fanciers keeping
Glosters increased the
amount and quality of
birds coming available
continued to grow and
improve.
Since the conception of the Gloster
in 1925 it has gone through many
different transformations, we have to
thank Mrs Rogerson who first brought
them to the attention of Mr A.W.Smith.
She had bred the original birds from
the smallest Crested Rollers and
Border canaries which were available,
the birds that came from these
pairings were very different from the
birds we see today.
As we know the Gloster Canary
comes in two types, the “Corona”
which is the crested bird, and the
“Consort” which has the plain head.
The early bred birds were always
short in the crest, very thin and long.
Most were bred from mainly buff birds
which caused many problems.
In the early years of the Gloster
there were several strong areas of
44 BIRD SCENE

FEATURE
support round the country, including
Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire,
Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire
and East Anglia. Over the next fifty
years the development of the Gloster
gathered pace, the early fanciers
worked hard to improve the type quite
often disregarding feather quality.
During these years you were lucky to
have a specialist Gloster judge at the
local C.B.S.shows quite often the birds
were judged by the Any Other Variety
judge. As the quantity of fanciers
keeping Glosters increased the
amount and quality of birds coming
available continued to grow and
improve. During this stage the Gloster
was really taking off, there seemed
to be specialist clubs popping up
everywhere it was at this time the
“Gloster Convention” was formed to
help co-ordinate the wishes of the
Specialist Societies it was at one of
these meetings Mr Charles Minjoodt
presented the pictorial model which is
still in use today.
The Gloster Fancy continues to thrive
today, we have many top Specialist
Societies all putting on very good
shows the standard of the Gloster
gets better by the year, combining
We are truly
international in our
outlook the standard of
Glosters world wide is
a credit to the
fancy.
BIRD SCENE 45

FEATURE
Early Glosters
The Gloster Fancy
specialist Society
supports the National
Show organised
by the Parrot Society
at Staffordshire
County Show Ground
on Sunday the
1st October 2023.
For details of how
to join the Gloster
Fancy Specialist
Society contact the
secretary:-
Mr Steve Jones, on
01785- 822533
both type and feather quality. We are
truly international in our outlook the
standard of Glosters world wide is a
credit to the fancy. It is amazing that
from what was a very small beginning
through dedication and hard work
the Gloster Canary has become one
of the strongest sections within the
hobby. Like all varieties we try to make
the hobby enjoyable and welcome
newcomers to join us in what is a very
enjoyable hobby.
DONATE TO OUR
CONSERVATION
FUND…
GO TO:
WWW.THEPARROTSOCIETYUK.ORG
46 BIRD SCENE

BRIAN LEES PROMOTIONS
AVIARY
JACKETS
EMBROIDERY – MAIL ORDER
BIRD AVIARY COAT £25
PRESS STUDS TWO SIDE POCKETS
L XL 2XL
NAVY 5 5 5 IN STOCK
AVIARY JACKETS £15
S M L
NAVY - 5 -
GREEN 2 - - IN STOCK
ROYAL BLUE 4 -
GREY - 5 -
Office - 01896 870364 / Mobile – 07801 297806
RETIREMENT SALE-
PAYMENT: CHEQUE. POSTAL ORDER.
BANK PAYMENT.
NO CARD MACHINE DUE TO RETIREMENT
ORDERS IN TURN. POST/PACKING £5
ALTHOUGH NOW RETIRED ANY CLUB REQUESTS
FOR EMBROIDERED JACKETS/FLEECES ETC. COULD
BE ATTENDED TO
1, HENRY BALLANTYNE PLACE,
WALKERBURN, SCOTLAND EH43 6AH
The Bird Ring
Company
We are now stocking Capri Blue Rings for 2023
– Order yours today!
The Bird Ring Company is a family run business, launched at
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Every ring order is custom designed and laser engraved.
A swift turnaround will see your order delivered 1st class
with tracking service.
Pricing is competitive and simplistic. Rings are divided into
2 price brackets; 2.7mm to 8mm and 9mm to 25mm with a
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We are always here to answer any questions you may have so
please don’t hesitate to contact us.
07949 999 815 / info@thebirdringcompany.com / www.thebirdringcompany.com
Unit 1a, 16 Arundel Road, Worthing, BN13 3EG.
BIRD SCENE 47

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the specific requirements of
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fresh fruit and vegetables or our Fruit, Nut & Veg Mix.
Composition:
Yellow millet, naked oats, small dark striped
sunflower seed, safflower seed, dried apricots,
red dari, red millet, white dari, hempseed, white sunflower seed,
paddy rice, wheat, buckwheat, coconut, plain canary seed, banana
chips, pumpkin seed, pine nuts, peanuts, diced pineapple, flaked
maize, puffed wheat, flaked peas and chillies.
Benefits:
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Please note, Johnston & Jeff’s foods are only available through retailers or online.
Please contact us to find your nearest stockists or for more information.
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Baltic Buildings, Gateway Business Park, Gilberdyke, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU15 2TD
T: 01430 449444 • E: mail@johnstonandjeff.co.uk • www.johnstonandjeff.co.uk
Johnston & Jeff Ltd @johnstonandjeff @johnstonandjeff